cut down

phrasal verb

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	cut down
he/she/it	cuts down
present participle	cutting down
past tense	cut down
past participle	cut down

1
intransitive/transitive (cut down something) to reduce an amount of something
How can you cut down the risk of cancer?
cut down on:
These improvements will cut down on traffic noise.
Synonyms and related words
To reduce something
cut back
cut down
reduce
2

cut down
or
cut back
intransitive/transitive to start doing less of something, especially because it is bad for your health
The doctor advised him to cut down his working hours.
cut down on:
I’m trying to cut down on salt.
Synonyms and related words
To give up doing something
give up
swear off
grow out of
3
transitive to make something such as a speech or piece of writing shorter
Synonyms and related words
Editing, adapting and proofreading
abridge
adapt
append
4
transitive to cut through the trunk of a tree in order to make it fall to the ground
Synonyms and related words
Forests and caring for forests and trees
afforestation
arboretum
arboriculture
5
transitive often passiveliteraryif a weapon, bullet, or illness cuts someone down, it kills or injures them
Synonyms and related words
To kill a person or animal
kill
murder
strangle
Synonyms and related words
To injure yourself or someone else
injure
harm
wound
Synonyms and related words
To shoot someone or something
shoot
blast
spray
6
cut someone down to sizeto make someone accept that they are not as important or impressive as they believe they are
Synonyms and related words
To have an effect on someone’s emotions or attitudes
influence
decide
lead to

cut down

cut down

cut back

cut down

cut down

cut back